Learning pyramid

The Search for Meaning and Values

     

  

The Search for Meaning and Values is a really important topic that features on both the Junior (Section D: The Question of Faith) and also Senior Religious Education syllabus.(Section A: The Search for Meaning and Values) It can also be used in non- exam religion.

   

Before you start off this question, you must make the students think does everything question? What does questioning mean? Why do we question?

Here is a questioner handout to start off this discussion– Introduction to the questioner worksheet.

This little nine year boy sums up life. Many of us qustion ‘What is life?’. He sums it up perfectly when he states that it is a ‘endless quest without knowing what the quest is’. Sometimes children teach us more than we teach them! 

This video clip illustrates 3rd graders teaching us about the meaning of life and resilience. 

In this thought-provoking and eye opening video,  a variety of speakers, hailing from a diverse range of racial and cultural backgrounds, perform a spoken word piece.

‘They make an important point: WE ARE NOT WHAT WE LOOK LIKE.’

There is more to us as individuals than what we look like, where we were born, what religion we practice, underneath all these layers we are the same. We are human.

‘Who would you be if the world never gave you a label? No, we would be one!! Together!  These labels blind us from seeing someone as who they really are.’

Another great video clip by Prince Ea questions why we are not doing more about climate change. The power is in our hands.   

This video clip will make the pupils think ‘Who really matters in my life’, Who gives my life meaning?’, ‘Who would I be lost without?’. 

Number the biggest influences in our life 1 to 5-Number your influences number 1 to 5

Influences- Religious retreat worksheet–influences religious retreat worksheet

Has technology taken over our lives? This is a great image to show your pupils which shows how the different generations experience life. Which is better?

She is a wonderful example of how to fully live in the moment! She shows us how to be mindful and how to be present!

Music

From time to time we stop and think about our lives and wonder why things are as they are. Human Beings have a need to understand what our life, and life in general, is all about. At such times, we might listen to our favourite music, finding inspiration in the words of a song. People don’t always read between the lines with lyrics when they should because they teach really great life lessons. You may think that some of these songs are not exactly for you but maybe take a chance and listen with your heart instead of just your head, it may make a difference to you.

Write these questions on the whiteboard.

1. What is the song called?
2. What is the song about?
3. What questions of meaning are raised in the song?
4. What answers does the song give to these fundamental questions? 

Adele- Hello

In Adele’s ‘Hello’, her first single in three years, the British songstress is greeting someone for the first time in years. Who exactly is on the other side of that “hello”? Judging from Adele’s other work, the obvious answer would seem to be an ex-boyfriend. It’s theoretically in the same vein as songs like “Someone Like You” and “Rolling in the Deep” from 21, her second album. The video depicts her calling an old lover. However, the song is far less literal than that. The meaning of ‘Hello’ isn’t about reconnecting with an ex-boyfriend. “Hello” is about Adele reconnecting with herself. Everyone goes through times in their lives when they lose themselves. In her Twitter announcement of 25, her third studio album and first in four years, Adele talked about growing up and finding herself again. She called25 a “make-up record” because, as she put it, “I’m making up with myself. 25 is about getting to know who I’ve become without realizing,” she wrote. So in the opening lines of “Hello,” Adele greets someone. “Hello, it’s me/ I was wondering/ If after all these years/ You’d like to meet/ To go over everything,” she sings. Taking “Hello” as a song addressed to herself, these lines become about a woman looking to rediscover who she is after years of not knowing. That jibes beautifully with 25‘s stated mission. In the chorus, Adele says hello from two different places: “the outside” and “the other side.” The former would seem to refer not to location, but to thinking a bit beyond herself to better understand who she is now. The latter is similar — it’s about a woman who lived through a very difficult relationship, as detailed in21, and the influx of fame and came out on “the other side” of it. Much has been made of the use of a phone in both song and video form of “Hello.” In the song, Adele sings about calling someone at home “a thousand times.” On its surface, that seems odd. Why in 2015 is she calling someone on their land line? Taken as Adele trying to connect to herself, however, it makes sense. “Hello” is not a literal song. The “million miles” she says separates her from the person she’s addressing aren’t physical — they’re emotional. No one who’s been through what Adele has could possibly be in the same place psychologically. In four years, she’s grown leaps and bounds. “Hello,” and by extension 25, are an exploration of what it’s like to come together with yourself after such growth.  With the release of this song, Adele seems to be saying she has met herself. Now, she’s ready to introduce this new Adele to us.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis- ‘Same Love’.

‘Same Love’ is a great song for using for the search for meaning. “Same Love was a song that I wanted to write for a long time but I didn’t know exactly how to address the issue,” he explains. “I knew I wanted to write a song about gay rights and homophobia within the hip-hop community and the world.” Macklemore, whose uncle is gay, said it wasn’t just the issue of marriage equality that fuelled the song, but also the flagrant use of ‘gay’ as a derogative term in the hip-hop industry, and the world.  A couple of years ago, Ryan and I would say ‘that’s gay’ because it’s so embedded in our culture,” he admits. “You have a conversation with a couple of people and they kinda call you out about it and all of a sudden you stop saying it.” The musician believes it’s only a matter of time before rappers and hip-hop artists stop using words like ‘faggot’ and ‘that’s gay’ as just another lyric. I think it’s happening right now… It takes a little while, but eventually you eliminate that type of vocabulary from your everyday life and I think that hopefully that is what a song like Same Love does, that it makes people second guess their language.

“From the people that come to our shows, a lot of feedback from them is, ‘I used to say those words, not I think twice, now I don’t say them any more.’ It’s really about awareness.”  While more and more pro-gay music artists are coming out, Same Love marks the first time a male mainstream hip-hop artist has rapped positively about homosexuality.

Ellen DeGeneres is a fan, saying “no other artists in hip-hop history have ever taken a stand defending marriage equality the way they have.” 

Beyonce- ‘I was here’.

Life is about being remembered for the positive impacts that you have had on others in the world and the things you have done to make it a better place rather than how rich, famous or successful you were. We should live life to the fullest so we do not have any regrets and that means that when we have the chance to do good and choose not to because of its “inconvenience” in our lives, that will remain with us and is not the piece of ourselves that we wish to leave behind on this earth. This song emphasises that Beyonce wants to do positive things in peoples lives.  She has achieved to point of more than what she thought, but she still wants 2 do more. The 2nd verse reminds us that she wants to be remembered for her good deeds. She wants to make a difference and make her mark on the world. It reminds me think of how valuable life is and how we all impact the world somehow. She wants to leave her footprints in the sands of time.

Justin Bieber- ‘Purpose’

“Feeling like I’m breathing my last breath/ Feeling like I’m walking my last steps/ Look at all of these tears I’ve wept/ Look at all the promises that I’ve kept.”

This is probably the deepiest song on his new album as Justin pretty much questions his entire existence. Once Justin confronts his demons and embraces his faith, he realises he’s been given the greatest gift: purpose. Justin ends the song with a spoken word outro where he says that he’s only human and trying the best that he can, but it isn’t always easy to make the right decisions.

All the songs on his new album ‘Purpose’ search for the meaning of life. This is not a suprise as he was giving through a hard time and a time of growth when he was writing the album.

Taylor Swift- ‘Shake it off’.

In this song, Taylor teaches us that people will always critique us in life. However, we must not let it get to us. We must shake it off the past, the hurt and the judgement. No matter what anyone says about you, keep ‘cruising and moving’ through life because ‘it is going to be alright’. In life, there will be haters who bring people down. That is not the purpose of life so ignore them and ‘shake, shake it off’. Like Taylor, if you like dancing then dance. Who cares if everyone is watching? Who cares if you are the only one dancing. Enjoy life and do whatever makes you happy so keep ‘grooving’. Just be yourself and love yourself! Taylor tells us not to let anyone affect us. It will just ruin your life. Ignore them and love life and do not forget to ‘shake it off’.

Selena Gomez- Revival 

The song starts off with “I dive into the future, but I’m blinded by the sun. I’m reborn in every moment, so who knows what I’ll become,” the song begins with a monologue that seems to not have been taken from any pre-existing poem or quote but to be uniquely written for the song. In this song, she is declaring to the world that she dragged herself out of her dark places and came out stronger for it.

“This is my revival, this is a revival,” has so many different meanings to it, and it’s also so true. Not only is this a revival Gomez is back on the musical scene, she’s taking control of her career but it’s also a personal revival — she’s taking control of her life. Gomez is back in control, and it feels good, and it looks good on her as well. She’s happy. She’s better and stronger than ever before. And every person, fan or anti-fan, can learn a lesson from her journey and use this song as their empowering inspiration.

Selena describes this song as ‘everything in one song. Everything that I’ve been feeling the past year or two years. And ultimately, what struck me the most is just wanting to be heard. I’ve grown up in front of people. I’ve grown up in front of the world. One of my favorite lines is, I’ll admit it’s been painful, but I’ll be honest and grateful, because ultimately, it’s led me and pushed me to be where I am today. Nothing has been handed to me. I’ve had to strive for it, and really put my all in it.”

Like Bieber, Selena was going through a period of growth and transition recording this album, she also has many songs on her new album which reflect the search for meaning such as ‘Rise’, ‘Kill Em Wit Kindness’, ‘Nobody’.

‘Nobody’ is about Selena’s relationship with God.

You could also use Selena’s song ‘Who Say’s’. 

Film

The Search for Meaning and Values is clear to see in many films. Such as:

‘Tuesdays wit Morrie’.

Based on a true story. The trailer sums up this move perfectly. It is a beautiful film that everyone needs to watch.

 ‘Wild’

Based on a true story. Reese Witherspoon’s stars Cheryl as who has had a tough life so she goes on a path of destruction until finally she decides to walk 1000 miles to find herself. ‘What if I could forgive myself, what if I was sorry, what if I could go back in time, I would not do a single thing differently, all those things I did were the things that got me here’.

‘Life of Pi’

A young boy searces for the meaning of life and faith.

  

   

‘Silver Linings Playbook’

  

After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own. Together they try to find out the purpose of life.

‘Fight Club’

   

While brutal, this movie touches on interesting themes. Are the narrator and Tyler trying to find meaning through anarchism and violence? Is Fight Club a scathing critique of our consumer-driven culture? How does this film explore the themes of masculinity and/or emasculation?

Disney’s ‘Mulan’

 

A film which illustrates the search for meaning is the popular Disney film “Mulan”. It poses the question “what is justice?” Thrasymachus, a well-known Sophist from the senior Religious Education syllabus course, said “Justice is simply the interest of the stronger.”. Unfortunately this is often true and it is obvious that this is one of the points the movie is trying to make. In our search for meaning we should strive for real justice not just power.

From this action we learn that family has a very important meaning in life. Mulan’s action is not only one of defiance, but also one of love and compassion. In searching for meaning one can’t do it alone and family should be there to help you along the way. I know from personal experience that I would not be where I am today, without the help of my parents and siblings.

In the film, Mulan runs away to make her parents proud because she feels inadequate. Her feelings of inadequacy are expressed in the lines “Look at me, I will never pass for a perfect bride-or a perfect daughter”. We all go through phases of self-doubt in our search for meaning, but I feel it is important to remember that our search is for us, and although other people are important, we should never put anyone before ourselves.

Once we have found our place in the world, we have found meaning. When we are searching for meaning, we must search deep within ourselves. Our ability to conquer obstacles, to come out the other side of suffering stronger and to love even in the hardest of times are all things which I would consider important in the search for meaning

‘I Heart Huckabees’

 

In this comedy, Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin play existential detectives you can hire to investigate the meaning of your life.

The Search for Meaning in film introduction power point– Search-for-Meaning—Film

Donal Walsh

  

Donal’s story is truly inspiring. I have read ‘Donal’sMMountain’. It is a fantasic book that gripped me from the onset and throughout.I love teaching about Donal as I fee he has a lot to offer the students. The studnets love learning about him too!  It really makes you think about life. #livelife

Here is a worksheet for the above video clip about Donal-Donal Walsh video clip worksheet

    

 

Thought-provoking video about who are we.

In this thought-provoking and eye opening video,  a variety of speakers, hailing from a diverse range of racial and cultural backgrounds, perform a spoken word piece.

‘They make an important point: WE ARE NOT WHAT WE LOOK LIKE.’

There is more to us as individuals than what we look like, where we were born, what religion we practice, underneath all these layers we are the same. We are human. 

‘Who would you be if the world never gave you a label? No, we would be one!! Together!  These labels blind us from seeing someone as who they really are.’

So when we judge someone based on their appearance, we are missing out on discovering the incredible being who exists under the surface. It is both a lost opportunity on our part and an injustice against the other’s right to be recognized as a whole and complete person.

‘No baby is born racist!’

As the video makes clear, when we judge someone based on his or her race we are subconsciously separating ourselves from them, because they are “different.” It seems quite ridiculous when it’s put that way, doesn’t it? Because of this separation, based solely on labels, we wage war against one another. It’s ignorant, and conveys how the media’s influence in keeping us separated and placing blame and hate on many other races and religions.

When you realize that these are just labels, which society has given to each and every one of us, a profound understanding occurs within you. You begin to question the lines that divide us both psychologically and even physically, on our maps. Maybe there are alternate reasons for the crises that we are facing in the world today and the labels are just a cover because we have been convinced for so long that we are all separate from one another.

‘We were meant to be free and only until we remove them all, and stop living and thinking so small will we be free to see ourselves and each other for who we truly are.’

 

Best teacher : Richard Feynman

  

In this video clip, I love the way Feynman explains how fire works. He takes such obvious delight in teaching others. You can see how happy he is as his face lights up. And he makes it so clear that anyone can understand it. Students know when you like your subject or not.

If you are passionate about your subject, you encourage the students to love it too. If you hate your subject, why should your students like it?

Feynman has a lot in common with all the amazing teachers out there. You walk into their classroom and immediately feel their positive atmosphere in their classroom, the way they interact with and engage their students and their passion for whatever subject they are teaching. These teachers are not famous, but they deserve just as much awe and respect as someone like Feynman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wright’s Law: A Unique Teacher Imparts Real Life Lessons

A case study of a great teacher from The New York Times.

What would you write to yourself?

Inspirational video- Lessons from a Teacher

I love this video! It is great advice from an exceptional teacher. 

Here are some of the lessons that she has taught me!

1. ‘Teaching is the best job because of the relationships you establish and the influence you can have. That is what you are there for’.

2. ‘A lot of time you can learn as much from the kids as they do from you’.

3. The highs are so much better than the lows you are going to experience’.

4. ‘It is a learning experience for you and its going to be every year that you teach’.

 

‘The power of teaching is that you can and do influence so many other  lives. You are not there to impart facts and figures. The whole thing is to foster relationships with people’.

 

 

What do children teach us..

Before I become a teacher, I never realised that students would teach me lessons. I just presumed I would teach them and that was the end of it. Since starting my first teaching job this year, I have realised how much students teach us. Learning goes both ways! I am learning so much about life from them. I feel really privileged to be able to work with young people every day.

1. Honesty – Young people are brutally honest. Whether it is positive or negative they will tell you how it is. The students have taught me how important honesty is!
2. Be yourself– Be proud of who you are and do not change for anyone. I see this with 1st years but sadly sometimes it is not as prominent with older years as they tone themselves down to feel ‘accepted’ or ‘fit in’.
3. Humour– Young people are hilarious. My classes make me laugh everyday. It is important to not take yourself seriously and to have a laugh with your students. Learning should be fun not dreary.
4. To not judge people based on their origin or the colour of the skin – A few weeks ago I was reading ‘The Field’ by John B. Keane with my 3rd years and my students would not read the word ‘tinker’ or ‘traveller’ aloud as they did not want to offend one of their peers in their class. Also students do not care what colour your skin is, they just care if you are a good person or not. 
5. To be happy for no reason
6. Being a role model– If you are a good person and you try your best. The students will think you are amazing. They look up to you. You are a role model to them.
7. Care– Students will know whether you really care about them or not. They are not stupid.
8. Acceptance- The students will accept you and each other for who they are. They realise no-one is perfect. Incredibly mature!
9. Fearless– Young people are so fearless. They leap without looking and they are not afraid to take chances.
10. Curiosity– Young people love to ask questions. I get asked a million questions a day. I thought it would be just 1st years asking me questions but 6th years ask a lot of questions too. Some you will not be able to answer. For example while reading ‘The Plough and the Stars’ with my 6th years, one student asked me ‘Did Nora have many boyfriends before Jack?’. Sean O Casey did not say, he only mentions Jack and that Brennan used to have a thing for her. For the questions you should know the answer too but you do not then just be honest. Tell the students you will find out tonight and tell them tomorrow or else ask them to find out for homework. The students have taught me to never stop asking questions in life. 

Inspirational video – New Zealand student Jake Bailey

As I said in a previous blog post, I like to show my students inspirational quotes and video clips sometimes. This is a great speech to show to your students’.

A New Zealand schoolboy from Christchurch Boys High School. He has been given 3 weeks to live has delivered an inspirational speech to his entire school. 18 year old Jake Bailey has Burkitts non-Hodgkins lymphoma. It is a very aggressive and fast growing type of cancer. His medical team estimates he has just weeks to live. He was told by his doctors that he would not be able to attend his school’s prize giving ceremony as he lay in hospital bed. Jake is head boy at his school and he ignored he advice! His doctors felt that Jake would be too ill to deliver a speech at his school’s annual prize giving. However, Jake defied the odds.

Jake’s speech is very emotional and inspiring. It is 18 minutes in length. There are many shortened versions available but in order to experience the full impact, you need to listen to the whole speech.I have listened to the whole speech and I loved it. It is a thought provoking speech that really moved me. At the end of the video, Jake gets an award for being a great leader and I think it is fully deserved.

Jake’s peers even surprised him with the Haka at the end.

‘NONE OF US GET OUT OF LIVE ALIVE, SO BE GALLANT, BE GREAT, BE GRACIOUS, AND BE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES YOU HAVE’. 

Jake Bailey 2015

Here is Jake’s speech. 

Steve Jobs- Inspirational figure for all students.

Everything happens for a reason and something that might seem like the end of the world might introduce you to your true calling. Always believe in yourself and never give up. Keep trying! It will work out if you work hard. If you find a job you love, you will enjoy going to work everyday!

Steve Job is an inspiring figure and a great model for young people today. This video clip is a great video clip to show your students’ especially your LC students’ as it will calm their anxiety about their futures. Steve Jobs was a college drop out. But yet he was one of the most successful men in the world. He was best known as the co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc.; CEO and largest shareholder of Pixar Animation Studios. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story. It is now the worlds most successful animation studio in the world.  After dropping out from his college course, he dropped in on lectures that did interest him such as calligraphy. Here he learned information that had no practice use in his life until ten years later when he was designing the first Macintosh computer.  He started Apple and due to a power struggle he got pushed out the company he created.  He then set up a company called NeXt. After a few years, Apple then bought NeXt and Jobs returned as a CEO. Steve died from pancreatic cancer in 2011.

A movie about Steve Jobs is out in cinemas in Ireland on the 13th of November. I am sure it will be very inspirational!

‘I still loved what I did. I had been rejected but I was still in love. So I decided to start over. I did not see it then but it turned out getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.’

‘Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith’. I am convinced that the only thing which kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find out what you love. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.  If you have not found it yet, keep looking and do not settle! You will know when you find it!’

‘You cannot connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing in the dots connecting down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well-worn path and that would make all the difference.’

This is a great video clip about Steve Jobs. 

It is really good for the trouble maker students or students’ who feel like they do not fit in.

'Here is to the crazy ones, misfits, rebels,  troublemakers, round pegs in the square holes, the ones who see things differently'.

Time recently wrote a brilliant article about how Steve Jobs ALWAYS ASKED FOR HELP. He was never embarrassed, It is important to remind your students that they can always ask you for help! Teach your students’ to never be afraid of failing, they will learn from their mistakes and they will become better people by as they will grow.

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